Biography
Sara Martin, born Sara Dunn on June 18, 1884, in Louisville’s Smoketown neighborhood, Kentucky, was a pioneering figure in early blues music. She began her career as a vaudeville singer around 1915, performing on the African-American Theater Owners' Booking Association (TOBA) circuit and with local jug bands—a style blending African American folk traditions and jazz instrumentation. Her deep, full-bodied voice and theatrical stage presence quickly made her a standout performer, earning her the nickname 'The Famous Moanin’ Mama.'
Martin secured a recording contract with Okeh Records in 1922 at age 38, launching a prolific recording career that spanned over 100 sides through the 1920s. She collaborated with legendary musicians such as Fats Waller, Clarence Williams, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, and Sylvester Weaver, and was among the first female blues singers to be recorded. Her repertoire included classic blues, vaudeville comedy songs, and even foxtrots, with hits like 'Sugar Blues,' 'Mean Tight Mama,' and 'Death Sting Me Blues.' Martin toured extensively, performing in major US cities and internationally in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, and appeared in the 1929 film 'Hello Bill' with Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson.
As the blues fad waned in the early 1930s, Martin retired from show business, returning to Louisville to open a nursing home and sing gospel in her local church choir. Her influence extended beyond her recordings; she helped popularize blues as an American art form and paved the way for future generations of female blues singers. Sara Martin died of a stroke on May 24, 1955, and was buried in Louisville Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
Fun Facts
- Sara Martin was known for her lavish stage costumes and reportedly wore diamonds in her teeth during performances.
- She recorded under multiple pseudonyms, including Margaret Johnson and Sally Roberts.
- Martin appeared in the 1929 film 'Hello Bill' with Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson and in the first all African-American sound film 'Darktown Revue' in 1930.
- After retiring from blues, she ran a nursing home in Louisville and sang in her local church gospel choir.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Clarence Williams - Williams was a frequent collaborator, pianist, and music publisher who signed Martin to Okeh Records and played piano on many of her early recordings. (Early Okeh recordings including 'Sugar Blues', 'Mean Tight Mama') [1922-1928]
Key Collaborators
- Fats Waller - Waller played piano on Martin's early recordings, notably 'Taint Nobody’s Bizness if I Do'. ('Taint Nobody’s Bizness if I Do') [1922]
- King Oliver - Oliver played cornet on several of Martin's recordings with Clarence Williams. ('Death Sting Me Blues', 1928 sessions) [1928]
- Sidney Bechet - Bechet was a sideman on Martin's recordings, contributing jazz clarinet and saxophone. (Okeh sessions) [1920s]
- Sylvester Weaver - Weaver played guitar on Martin's recordings and was a prominent blues guitarist. (Okeh sessions) [1920s]
- Thomas A. Dorsey - Collaborated as a gospel singer after Martin left blues performance. (Gospel performances) [1932]
Artists Influenced
- Female blues singers of the 1920s and 1930s - Martin's success and stage presence helped pave the way for future generations of African-American female blues artists, including contemporaries and successors such as Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. (General influence on classic blues recordings and performance styles) [1920s onward]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| NOTED… (Japan Edition) | 2023-10-27 | Album |
| Life of a Wallflower , Vol. 2 | 2025-07-23 | Album |
| late night thoughts | 2023-05-19 | Album |
| 恋したくなるラブソング | 2025-05-02 | Album |
| DF | 2018-02-21 | Album |
| Df | 2018-02-21 | Album |
| DF | 2017-12-01 | Album |
| DF | 2017-12-01 | Album |
Top Tracks
- The Ocean (feat. Shy Martin) (The Ocean (feat. Shy Martin))
- Keep You Mine (Keep You Mine)
- Are you happy? (Sad Songs)
- Slow (Slow)
- Feelings (Feelings)
- can I call you back? (can I call you back?)
- Make Us Never Happen (Make Us Never Happen)
- Lose You Too (Lose You Too)
- Good Together
- Forget To Forget
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
SARA MARTIN has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2025 | 09:32 | EAGLE ROCK ME PAPAfrom SARA MARTIN 1922-28 | Traditional Jazzw/ Tom Saunders | |
| Nov 12, 2025 | 10:00 | THINGS DONE GOT TOO THICKfrom SARA MARTIN 1922-28 | Traditional Jazzw/ Tom Saunders |